


Control

by Aaronlisa



Category: Dollhouse
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 22:50:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10774122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aaronlisa/pseuds/Aaronlisa
Summary: Caroline’s life has been guided by the Dollhouse long before she ever steps into the Dollhouse.





	Control

Caroline looks at the man in front of her as she silently weighs his offer. There’s something about him and the offer that makes her wonder if it’s a little too good to be true, yet she can’t really find a reason to reject his offer. She finds herself nodding in agreement and saying that she’ll meet him at the nondescript office building later that day, closer to midnight. The smile that he gives her doesn’t do much to reassure Caroline but the chance at finding out more about Rossum and their plans is far too tempting for her to turn back, even now. 

* * *

“She took the bait.” 

Boyd looks up at the active and nods in response. He hadn’t expected Caroline Farrell to turn the offer down. And if she did, well he had other ways of ensuring that his plans worked out. Yet he’s relieved that she’s going along with the plan, since he has to move carefully or else the whole house of cards that he’s building will come tumbling down. 

Boyd leans back in his chair as Alpha paces the length of the hotel room that Boyd has set up as their base of operations. At first, Boyd had been hesitant to use Alpha on this mission; he had preferred Victor at first. But after extensive research, Alpha had proved ideal. Victor, while the better active in most parts, was far too stable for Boyd’s long-term plans. Alpha, on the other hand, was an accident waiting to happen; just what Boyd would need several months down the line. 

“I just wonder why we’re not going to nail her when we have the chance. Everything is in our favour,” Alpha spits out. 

Boyd sighs in response, irritated with Topher’s programming. It’s just a little good for Boyd’s taste. For a brief moment he thinks that perhaps, he should have gone to the Bennett and her house for this part of his plan to lure Caroline deeper into his web. 

“Roberts, it’s not our job to question the orders we receive but to fulfill them,” Boyd finally says. 

“Still if she’s as dangerous as the files say she is, we could be making a big mistake by not bringing her in when we have the chance to do so.” 

“That might be the case, but I think that you’ll find in the end that Farrell isn’t as dangerous as she seems.” 

Alpha gives him a look that Boyd suspects isn’t part of his programming as Roberts but something that’s far deeper, perhaps this was the look that Karl Kraft gave his victims before he attacked. There’s far more predator in that look than there is FBI agent or simple active to be anything else. It’s far too late in the game for Boyd to switch tactics but he wonders if perhaps he’s made a crucial mistake. 

* * *

Caroline and Roberts meet in front of the nondescript office building in the middle of Seattle. He does all the dirty work of breaking them into the building as she nervously keeps watch. Before long, they’re climbing the stairs up to the ninth floor. Roberts finds himself conflicted about what his next course of action should be: follow the orders that have been laid out for him and simply stand by and watch while she does whatever she’s going to do or take down the suspect before she can do anything too dangerous. 

Caroline pauses on the step and turns around to face him and for a moment, he sees something in her face that makes him pause. For that brief moment, his thoughts are racing about in his head, his heartbeat speeds up and he can’t breathe. Dark desires course through his veins and his hand clenches into fist. She touches his hand and he’s calmed down enough to nod to whatever she had asked him. He watches as Caroline turns around and continues climbing up the stairs and Roberts decide that he’ll follow orders and then request a leave of absence in a few weeks’ time. 

He’s spent far too long chasing monsters for his comfort and if it’s any indication of what he just thought about, the thoughts crawling through his mind like poisonous spiders, Roberts thinks that he doesn’t have any right to be on the job. 

* * *

When it’s all over, Roberts is back at the hotel and Caroline has taken off into the night with just enough tantalizing evidence to keep her on track, Boyd thinks about wiping Alpha completely. Wiping this whole mission from his brain, implanting him with fake memories before sending him back to LA and Topher, but he decides against. He wants to know what will happen when everything falls into place. He smirks as he watches Alpha pacing the length of the hotel room. Boyd will enjoy seeing what will happen when Alpha finally evolves. 

((END))


End file.
